Why Fix Up an Old Car?
Hunker Junker Classics is documenting the revitalization of a 1985 Buick Riviera that I picked up inexpensively from a friend after my other car was hit by a deer. Yes, the deer hit the car—I watched it happen.
Older cars are increasingly being restored and updated with modern amenities. Nostalgia is part of the appeal, but economics also matter. With new cars commonly costing $40,000, $50,000 or more, there is a lot that can be done with the body of an older vehicle for far less.
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The Riviera recently received some needed mechanical work. An old oil leak was repaired, and the engine bay was cleaned up after years of accumulated oil.
A persistent tire-related shimmy was also addressed. Rebalancing the tire made the problem much better, although a small vibration remains. Since the problem appeared after the winter-to-summer tire change, the tires remain the leading suspect. Next time rotate and after than we are back to thinking about the axle.
Knowing Your Car
One lesson from working on older cars is that the owner often knows the symptoms best. Basic mechanical knowledge can help identify problems and ask better questions.
Not every repair requires replacing parts. Sometimes the first step is simply making sure the actual problem has been properly identified. That is why I prefer to understand the vehicle and its symptoms before authorizing additional work.
More Than Just a Car
For me, the Riviera is also about memories. My grandfather was a car dealer, and cars from this era remind me of him and the work he did.
He returned from Germany after serving in the war to protect people of a different religion and slow the advance of Germany, built a life, started a farm, married a farmhand, and eventually established a car dealership. That story represents a different era—one in which hard work, opportunity and independence seemed more attainable. This seem different now with the overconcentration of decision making, courts that make consolidation easy without thinking of about consumers, and money being siphoned from communities, farms, and small business to people at the top (Build local, buy local, thrive local to retain the tax advantages and wealth.).
The Bigger Picture
That connection between old cars and personal history helps explain why people restore them. They are not simply repairing transportation. They are preserving memories, exercising creativity and maintaining a connection to another time.
For now, I'm enjoying fixing up and driving the Riviera. Maybe someday I'll restore and resell a few more classics, but for now, the goal is simple: keep the Hunker Junker on the road and enjoy the ride.
Why Some People Still Love Vintage Gasoline Cars
- Preference for older gasoline-powered cars does not necessarily mean resistance to change or modern technology.
- Nostalgia can connect vehicles with meaningful memories, family traditions, independence, achievements, and important periods of life.
- Familiarity, mechanical control, and the ability to repair or understand a vehicle can provide comfort and satisfaction.
- Psychological concepts such as attachment, nostalgia, the mere exposure effect, and the endowment effect help explain why people value familiar possessions.
- The broader lesson is that consumer decisions are influenced by both logic and emotion; understanding personal experiences can provide greater insight into why people make different choices.
Walia, G. (2026, July 9). Psychology says people who are old school and still love vintage gasoline run cars aren't resistant to change but often value memories, control and familiarity: What the behaviour reveals? The Economic Times.
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